Gross - what is wrong with this bass?

[schplurg]

Caught this poor fella today.

 

I initially thought they were talon marks from a bird until I flipped it around and saw the bad side. Even the soft dorsal has a thing on it.

 

Does anyone know what this is? Caught it in Coyote Creek, south San Jose, CA if that helps.

 

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Infections are common during the warm weather months when bacteria is more prevalent and prone to thrive when it takes hold. Fish will often get infections from small injuries received during the spawn from rubbing on each other or hard bottom substrate while making nest, even fighting predators off from their nest. The stresses of spawning make it more difficult to fight infections so the infections grow.

 

That fish actually looks to be healing up pretty well from an infection.

[schplurg]

That's good. There are a lot of obstacles like branches, log jams, laydowns in this creek. I don't know if fish crash into things like I sometimes do but if so there's plenty to crash into.

 

Thanks for the info.

[N Florida Mike]

I caught one once that had part of his head torn off near his mouth almost up to an eye on one side .It was really amazing how that fish was even alive. I assume a bird of some kind had got ahold of him . It had healed but it was the “elephant man” of bass for sure. Wish I still had the pics.

[schplurg]

6 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I caught one once that had part of his head torn off near his mouth almost up to an eye on one side .It was really amazing how that fish was even alive. I assume a bird of some kind had got ahold of him . It had healed but it was the “elephant man” of bass for sure. Wish I still had the pics.

Tough little buggers!

 

I actually caught another one the same day as this one, and it's mouth was torn. Not sure how to describe it, but one side of its mouth was torn off it's "jaw"  or gill area or something. Seems like it would have a hard time sucking in food, but he ate my worm fine.

 

I wonder if I tore it - I hooked the center of his bottom lip/jaw. I wonder if a violent shake would be enough to tear it.

 

I broke off (broke off = failed knot) a fish in that same spot a few days ago. He was swimming really slow, and listing/leaning to one side before I caught it. I targeted it again a few days later hoping I could get the hook out of its mouth, if it was still in there. That's when I caught the torn-mouth fish. It seemed smaller so I think it was a different fish.

[the reel ess]

I've seen more fish with injuries this year than normal. Those marks might still be from a bird's talons and it's just healing up. The first bass I caught over 5 lbs. was missing an eye and had bleeding sores all over it. My dad chastised me when I tossed it back. I said "It's too ugly to have mounted. And did you want to eat it?"

[RoLo]

 

Shingles?

[Mat_ski]

Nature...